Maison&Objet Recap From Kim Bailey

Attending Maison&Objet has always been one of those things on my designer “bucket list.” Maison et Objet is one of the top fairs worldwide held for interior design & trades in Paris, France. Maison, translated as “Home,” boasts to hold the very best in home interior solutions and is split into 4 different styles: craft, unique & eclectic, today, and forever. Objet, or “object,” is home to 7 different sectors of accessories: Home accessories, home linen, home fragrances, fashion accessories, kids & family, smart gift, and cook & share.

In their words, “MAISON&OBJET is the international authority for home decor, interior design, architecture and lifestyle culture and trends through its shows, events and its digital platform.” Vendors from 100 different countries around the world come to Paris and showcase the highest-quality options in design, while also celebrating new designers and rising talents and share projected trends. I was very happy to learn of the availability for group travel arrangements through IDS and couldn’t resist the opportunity to attend and fulfill my Parisian design dreams.

Great travel arrangements were made for airfare, hotel, and train tickets to the event center as well as admission into Maison&Objet.  All we had to do was pack!

This year, 600 new brands had representation at the fair. Since many are international, many vendors have developed e-commerce sites that enable designers to order from them directly and have items shipped from all over the world.

The show provided plenty of inspiration as well as seeing what is trending in home design.  What struck me immediately was the amount of velvet. It was everywhere! While creativity is constantly innovative, time has proven that things tend to cycle, shown in the gorgeous velvet textures in a multitude of fun colors.

The theme of nature appeared to be universal throughout, seen in the floral and fauna inspiration and form of many of the pieces showcased, and it also appeared in the shades of green, which seemed to be the leading color trending at the event.

After hours of shopping, there were many places to grab lunch on the go, but we found several very nice eateries inside the show that featured linen table cloths, wait staff in all white suits who presented a beautiful and delicious meal.  This was a wonderful way to step away from the activity and enjoy a Parisian dining experience.

As we walked through the kid and family sector of the show, we could not help but look at these great bed designs.  What child wouldn’t want to sleep in one of these dreamy beds!!

One of my favorite areas was the “craft” portion of Maison where artists showcased their talent and merchandise.  I loved talking with the artists face to face and hearing about the inspiration and design process for their pieces.

And of course, a trip to Paris would not be complete without an evening boat tour of the city seeing the Eiffel Tower in all its glory.  Thank you IDS for making this trip available to us.  It was an incredible time of sourcing, shopping, and inspiration!

 Written by Kim Bailey, Lead Designer of Kim Bailey Interiors.